Glaciers
by hmonster4
Summary: She was a daughter, a sister, an individual. With the simple request to witness the evolution of a child, she became a tutor, a friend, & a lover. The story of Kate & Garrett from Breaking Dawn. Fandom Gives Back Fic for my wonderful friend Lucette21. 2010 Judges Eddie Winner


A hazy pink tint filled the sky, creating a back light against the jagged silhouette of the mountains. It left the craggy face in shadow, masking the pine trees and foliage in darkness. In less than an hour the sun would illuminate the landscape, revealing the life that lurked under the barren cover of darkness, and with it, another day. Kate considered the irony of the situation. One step closer to their potential death, one step further from the memory of their life with Sasha. It was the cruelest sort of progression.

"Red sky at night, sailor's delight," Tanya intoned.

"Red sky at morning, sailors take warning," Kate replied as she allowed her eyes to focus on the uneven profile of the mountains. This morning felt so much

like _that_morning. The pink sky was the same hue, the mountains so similar to those on another continent, standing sentinel as justice had been served.

The sisters had fled here, to this quiet clearing to find solace from the revelation of Renesmee Cullen, half human, half vampire child of Edward and Bella. While neither Kate nor Tanya had cause to disbelieve anything they were told, the shock of seeing a child so close in resemblance to Vasilli, the immortal child who'd brought about the destruction of their mother, Sasha, had shaken them in a way that no one else could begin to understand. The story could be told a thousand times, but the hurt and shock could never be eradicated, and the outcome never changed. Immortal children meant death and destruction to all those that protected them. Renesmee Cullen might have a heartbeat and human blood coursing through her veins, but she was still half immortal, and not far enough removed from the creation that brought about the end of their mother; this could not end well.

And yet, they could not turn their back on the Cullens. Carlisle was the closest thing they knew to a replacement parental figure. Tanya sought him out for advice and insight. Kate trusted him implicitly, knowing that his recommendations and guidance

were always with the best of intentions. Those bonds might have been tested over the past year, specifically by Irina, but the sisters would never again refuse to assist the Cullens, just like the Cullens would never the Denalis. They were as much family as Irina, and they had done no wrong. They had turned their back on the Cullens once; they would never do it again.

"I envy them, in a strange way," Tanya reflected, her fingers combing through the rough patch of grass at her feet. "They might be facing destruction, but they have each other."

"Destruction because of our sister, don't forget that," Kate amended. They were both sick with the realization that the current threat came from Irina, but there was little that could be done to change it.

"They are willing to fight for each other and for their child. They don't question, they simply believe. I wish someone would do that for me."

Kate had misunderstood her sister's earlier observations. She'd assumed Tanya was referring the family's loyalty as a whole, not specifically to Edward and Bella.

"Sasha fought for Vasilli; tell me what it got her?" Kate questioned, not willing to give in to Tanya's romantic longings. She knew how her sister's mind worked. It wasn't about Edward Cullen, or any other man for that matter; it was about Tanya wanting the one thing that had always evaded her, someone who would make _that_kind of sacrifice for her. She longed for that one great true love which would be all encompassing and enlightening; something that could complete the one spot she felt she could never fill on her own.

"Yes. I never thought I would say it, but like Sasha did. She loved all of us, but especially Vasilli, and she did everything she could to protect him. It just wasn't enough."

Kate sighed and reclined on the soft grass. It was still damp from the previous evening's rain, but she didn't mind. She didn't feel cold or warmth, simply wetness. It wasn't unpleasant. It made her wonder if the flames that had consumed Sasha had been painful, or merely another sensation. That seemed to be what her all life was about anymore, sensations. Nothing moved her in one direction or another, just little ripples tickling her skin as she moved along in time, keeping her aware of the currents that circled, useless to alter her course.

"I guess I don't have the idealized longing that you do, Tanya. I look at them and I see two people with no identity outside of each other. While that may be the glamorized version of love, it holds no appeal to me."

"Why are you such a cynic, Kate?" Tanya shot back, and Kate had to bite back a grin at her sister's retort. "Aren't you tired of being alone?"

"I'm not alone. I have my family, I have my friends. If I want a lover, I take a lover. I am happy with my life just the way it is."

"There has to be something more." The longing in Tanya's voice was almost heartbreaking, and Kate felt a pang of sadness for her sister. Tanya idealized the romantic relationships of the Cullens, as well as Carmen and Eleazar. She wanted to be consumed by love and passion, yet it never happened for her. Like Kate, she was a glacier, moving slowly through time, nothing able to knock her off her path.

Since leaving the Cullen home, the concept of love and sacrifice had been at the forefront of Kate's mind. While she did not envy the challenge that Edward and Bella faced, she couldn't accept the blind devotion with which they chose to confront their challenge. At least with Emmett and Rosalie there was a beginning and an end to each individual, two people making a whole, not losing themselves in each other. The mindless adulation she'd witnessed as Edward and Bella interacted had been borderline nauseating. Even more disturbing, Kate found that she

actually _envied_ them. While she had no doubt that her sisters would support her unconditionally, there was a difference in Edward and Bella's interactions; it was something she found she couldn't understand. She could never admit that to her sister, for Tanya would tie it to Kate's insistence that there was something out there for everyone. That they too could find a love like Edward and Bella's.

Kate doubted she ever would. Moreover, she wasn't sure if she wanted to. She didn't need a _someone_; she was happy with her life just the way it was.

"Have you ever been with one and thought about changing him?" Tanya's question surprised Kate. They typically did not talk of their sexual assignations, for the sisters held very different expectations of their romantic entanglements. Kate enjoyed the passion, the fire. The men she chose were warriors, adventurers, and risk takers.

Men that could make her remember what it felt like to be alive. Tanya preferred handsome, soft men with poetic souls. In them Tanya found edification, a temporary way to satiate her emotional needs. To Kate, they merely scratched an itch.

"No, can't say that I have. I think I go into things with a very different expectation. I don't need to find that one person who is likely to complete me, because I don't feel incomplete to begin with. It makes things a lot easier." Kate would be dishonest if she didn't admit to feeling differently early on, but once she'd realized that her short term relationships met the one need her family couldn't fill, she let herself embrace the comfort those nameless men provided. She could take what she needed and go back to her life with no complications.

"I keep hoping," Tanya sighed as she pushed up off the ground. "One of these days, maybe lightning will strike."

"I don't believe in lightning."

"You don't need to; you can produce your own," Tanya shot back. "Come on, we should probably get back. I believe they were expecting more witnesses today."

"Well, if nothing more, this should be an interesting change of pace, no?" Kate followed Tanya down the hill, grateful there would be new people around to break up the monotony they found themselves in; two individuals lost in the sea of couples.

**#**

There was a crowd gathered in the clearing in front of the large white house as Tanya and Kate exited the woods. Edward and Bella. The large wolf boy, Jacob. Peter and Charlotte. There were also new comers. A group of four: dark haired and olive skinned. A trio of three, two women and a man. And a tall sandy haired man, his long hair pulled back at the nape of his neck in a pony tail. They all had the easy comfort of old friends, or at least familiar acquaintances. If not for the severity of their mission, it could have been a happy reunion.

"Ah, Tanya, excellent timing," Eleazar called out, his arm extended to invite the late comers into the circle. He had a way about him, assertive yet reassuring. He would never intentionally exclude people, yet he made it clear that for everything there was an order, a method during the impending madness.

Introductions were made; the dark haired group was a coven from Egypt led by the scowling Amun, his mate Kebi glued close to his side. Their companions Benjamin and Tia were friendly and outgoing, immediately engaging the sisters in lighthearted banter. Then Siobhan, Liam, and Maggie from Ireland, who greeted the sisters with hugs saved for long lost friends. Finally Garrett, an American nomad, who assessed both sisters with a bold curiosity they were well accustomed to. From any other, Kate would have been immune, but something about this tall, rangy stranger was disconcerting and left her off balance.

Once introductions were complete, Edward stepped into the circle, taking Garrett through the same strange initiation the sisters had witnessed on their arrival. Unlike the others, Garrett did not jerk away when Renesmee laid her small dimpled hand on his face. He leaned into her touch, his scarlet eyes wide in curiosity.

No matter how many times they watched a stranger meet Renesmee Cullen, the process never become easier. They had made the decision to stay, to support, and to die if necessary, for they felt a responsibility for the Cullen's current predicament. They would stand by that commitment. But regardless of how enchanted they became with the child, the memory of their loss was a constant presence in Kate's heart, a dull ache that refused to subside. Because of the threat of immortal children and the havoc they could wreck, they'd lost a mother, and potentially a sister. They couldn't bear to lose what little family they had left.

As the crowd dispersed, Tanya and Kate made their way to the edge of the clearing, taking roost in two large Adirondack chairs that afforded a lovely view of the river. After centuries of companionship, neither sister felt the need to fill the silence with unnecessary chatter. They knew each other well enough to co-exist peacefully in the quiet.

The solace didn't hold for long, as one of the newcomers, the tall sandy haired man called Garrett, made his way over to their isolated spot. His long gait was loose and fluid, and there was something commanding in his motions. He was confident, and didn't appear to second guess his actions. Most men were too unnerved by the looks of the Denali sisters to approach, restricting their interaction with men to old family friends, all happily mated.

He plopped down cross legged in the perfectly manicured grass between them. Kate didn't need to look at her sister to know that Tanya had already noted the man's solo status. He was alone, a nomad. No connections. No mate.

"Well then," he started, his attention lingering on the child, "that isn't something you see every day, pun intended."

His eyes swept from the little girl to Kate. They were wide and wise, a deep burgundy red that sparkled with good nature. Kate felt her breath, unnerved by the intensity of his gaze. She felt as though he was looking straight into her soul. He had the same type of deep, penetrating stare that Carlisle used when interrogating a person. She was sure he would know a lie or deceit.

"I take it from your eyes that you follow their way of life?" He asked, and his face broke into a wide, easy grin. For some reason, his attempt at ingratiation irritated Kate, and she found reacting instinctively.

"And I take it from your eyes that you steal human lives to gain sustenance?" The response was uncharacteristically sharp, and Tanya dropped an elbow into Kate's ribs in silent chastisement.

"It's all relative, no? The life we take, be it human or animal, is still exactly that, a life."

"Great, we have a vagabond philosopher on our hands," Kate mumbled. Tanya, ever the diplomat, stepped in to diffuse the conversation, shooting a look at Kate to end the sparring.

"Yes, we feed off of animals. We have for centuries. Humans are not prey, and should not be treated as such. They deserve more dignity than what our kind has accorded them. We've not taken one for sustenance in hundreds of years. We prefer a gentler, more compassionate way of life than most of our kind."

Kate glanced away, choosing to ignore some of the stretches in Tanya's logic. They'd lived a vegetarian life; that _was_ true. But they had killed in their own way, although it wasn't blood that drove them to their actions. One lust or another, they still claimed human lives from time to time. Neither of the Denali sisters were proud of their actions, but the instances were few and far between, and not a sacrifice taken lightly.

"I find compassion a noble, albeit undervalued, trait." The blonde man did not take his eyes off Kate, and she found herself equally unnerved and fascinated by his direct manner and quick wit. "Will you take me with you the next time you hunt?"

"You seem well fed, why do you want to go with us?"

"Katrina!" Tanya hissed. She was clearly embarrassed by Kate's poor manners, and was striving to make up for the sarcastic comment.

"Because I'm impressed by your will power. The fact that you can abstain from human blood while living in such close proximity to them is commendable. I like to think I am up for any challenge, and I'd like to try it myself."

"So you would make everything a game then, is that how it works?" Kate bit back. The blonde man's eyebrows shot up in amusement.

"Not a game, just always looking to expand my horizons. If I don't try new things, how do I know what I am missing?" The penetrating stare was back, and Kate found herself riveted, unable to look away. The man was arrogant, presumptuous even, but oddly compelling. And for the first time since she arrived, Kate realized she wasn't caught up in painful memories or worrying about what might come. As irritating as this man could be, he could also distract her, keep her mind off what was coming. Or even off what had passed.

He smiled at her then, an easy, open grin that lit up his face, further complimenting his handsome features. Kate had long ago grown accustomed to the incredible beauty of 'their kind,' yet she found herself oddly drawn to this man. It upset her, for she hoped that any solo visitors might see Tanya and fall smitten. Her sister was lonely, and there were so few of their kind without a mate. She didn't want to be attracted to him, yet she was.

Maybe that explained her objectification, not referring to him by his name. She wanted to deny the attraction, to step aside so that Tanya could pursue and ultimately capture his heart. It was the right thing to do; it's what she _should_ do.

"What is your favorite?" He asked, pulling her attention back to the clearing.

"I'm sorry?" Kate looked around, surprised to see that Tanya had left them alone.

"When you hunt, what is your favorite?"

"Caribou." Kate frowned, surprised by the man's interest. "Although there aren't many in the continental US. You might find some Elk, but odds are you'll have to make do with other things."

"Emmett mentioned enjoying bears once. I can't imagine him taking one down, let alone you taking down something as large as an Elk. I'm not putting down your strength, it's more the concept. We _are_ talking about something ten times your size."

"What, you don't think I could do it?" Kate found his commentary infuriating. Who was he, and how dare he make assumptions about her? Before the man could react, she jumped to her feet and stalked towards the trees.

"Wait, where are you going?" he called.

"Showing you how it works."

She heard him chuckle and climb to his feet. In a flash he'd caught up to her, following her through the woods.

"Think you can keep up?" She launched into a sprint, dodging trees and jumping over the river as she headed to the Northeast. The majority of game would be up in the mountains, far away from the prying eyes of humans.

They ran for miles, Garrett staying close on her heels, yet never trying to overtaking her. They didn't speak, barely acknowledging each other as they ran, and Kate was constantly aware of his proximity. After so many years of comfortable existence with her family and friends, keeping company with someone new was a strange experience. She felt the need to fill the silence with idle chit chat, whereas with her family, conversation would have been unnecessary, almost extraneous.

She pulled up short as they crested a ridge, the scent of warm blood wafting up to her from the grassy expanse below.

"Do you smell that?" she asked, watching the man. His eyes narrowed as he breathed in deeply, registering the scent. "That is elk. You ready to see how it's done?"

"After you." He swept his arm wide, as if gallantly letting her cut in line.

Kate darted forward, intent on wiping the smart alec grin off his face. She studied the herd, honing in on the largest male with the fullest rack. The bull was easily ten times her size, but he wouldn't be able to out run her, making a fair game of her conquest.

The herd sensed her approach, splitting off in multiple directions. She continued to stalk the large male, slowly herding him back against the mountain face. Before he could break and try to bolt away, Kate lunged forward, grabbing him by his massive furry antlers and easily flipping him to the ground. In a flash, she was sitting on the animals back, her legs pinning his struggling body in place. Her small hands held firmly to his antlers, pulling them back to expose his long throat. She knew how it would look to the man watching from above; her small body pining down something so mammoth. She'd taken down the largest one in the herd to prove her point, and to inspire awe.

"I already ate, so consider this me serving dinner." Kate tugged the animal's neck back a bit more, and the bull brayed in irritation. The man stared at her, bemused.

"I could make a comment about you setting back women's lib, but somehow that seems trite with you straddling a seven hundred pound mammal. I know better than to ever question you again."

"Are you going to drink or talk?" she interrupted, eyebrows raised to reinforce her point.

He stepped forward and dropped to his knees, his eyes locked on hers as he sank his teeth into the elk's neck. The bull bucked in her hands, but she held on tight, preventing him from pulling away. Garrett frowned as the blood hit the back of his throat, and she could imagine the curious taste. It took her a few months to become accustomed to animal blood. She'd intentionally started him off with an herbivore, knowing full well if he would happily move on to prefer the blood of carnivores, for they more resembled humans in taste. But Garrett surprised her, not pulling away as he consumed the warm coppery liquid. He continued to drink deep, all the while holding her gaze.

Kate had hunted with others in the past, but never like this, never so close. It felt odd and strangely intimate, holding onto the dying animal as the life force drained out of him. Kate found herself riveted by the process, the reaction of the man to the blood, to the animal's slowly waning cries. She broke away, glancing down at the animal's neck. Garrett's and rested just inches from hers. It would be just a fraction of a movement to lace her fingers with his, but she fought the strange urge.

When the elk finished struggling, Garrett sat back on his haunches, wiping at the corner of his mouth with the pad of his thumb. It was more for decorum than necessity, as he'd not spilled any blood as he fed. Maybe it was a carryover gesture from his previous life, like wiping his mouth with a napkin after a meal.

"That was interesting." He smiled at her, and Kate knew that he didn't mean the blood. "I think I might like to try it again."

"Because you were satisfied, or you enjoyed the taste?"

"Maybe both. Maybe I enjoy the challenge. Maybe I just like being with you."

"Is everything in life to you an experiment?" She wanted to be irritated at his self satisfied tone, but she couldn't be. She was torn between liking and disliking him, all the while feeling guilty for it for the strange mental and physical attraction she had to him. The feelings were foreign, not something she'd experienced with one of their kind. She immediately tried to disengage herself. He should be for her sister. Not for her.

But she couldn't deny anything as simple as her connection to this nomad. It was strange and instinctual. For the first time in her thousand years of existence, a force had come along strong enough to push Kate off her course. A tsunami, a great wave named Garrett had appeared out of nowhere to rock the slow and steady progression of her glacial life.

"I like a good challenge just like any man, but dare I say it, this might be something more than that." He did not look away, and Kate realized then that he felt it too.

She shot up, dropping the antlers, and took off in a run back towards the house. She wasn't sure why she ran. Was it away from him? Towards her family? Or maybe she hoped that he would follow. And sure enough, once the shock of her departure had cleared, she heard another wry chuckle and the sound of him in pursuit.

**#**

Kate could feel Garrett's eyes on her as she stalked Bella, trying to goad the girl into action. She didn't like behaving in such a malevolent manner, but Bella was all too complacent. Her gift was of too much value to ignore. If Alice was in fact right, they had less than two weeks before the Volturi arrived; they needed every weapon they could find. While everyone was there to bear witness, they were all preparing for the eventuality of battle as well.

She tried to block out Garrett as she taunted Bella, reaching out for Renesmee. Kate was thankful for the challenge, as it allowed her a few moments of peace. With Garrett around, moments free of confusion were few and far between.

It seemed as though everywhere she went, Garrett was sure to turn up. He followed her when she hunted; always asking questions, trying to learn more about whom she was or what interested her. It made Kate feel like a puzzle, slowly being put together piece by piece, until he could easily define and classify her. As much as she enjoyed his attention, and found him fascinating, it worried her too. What would happen when Garrett decided he had her figured out? Would he lose interest, maybe move on to her sister? A few days before she'd hoped that he would. Now she feared exactly that.

Last evening they'd discussed their relative ages and experiences. She found out that Garrett had been turned during the American Revolutionary War as he stumbled across a vampire feasting off dying soldiers. The attack had been interrupted, leaving him alone and adrift without a sire. In his human life Garrett had been a fur trapper, a solitary man living in upstate New York, moving from interest to interest as he saw fit. He'd joined the New York militia out of curiosity, and had treated his conversion to vampirism the same way, conquering his thirst, exploring the world, and learning as much as he could. His desire for knowledge and understanding was voracious.

Aside from the Volturi, Kate and Tanya were the oldest vampires he'd ever met, and he admitted to being fascinated by their experiences. He peppered Kate endlessly with questions about her life in Europe and Alaska. While her memories of her human life in Scandinavia were but faint memories, she found it hard to resist his queries, and openly supplied answers to his questions.

She'd been shocked when he asked her if she really was a succubus, and found herself wondering which of the Cullens had revealed her secret. But Garrett had surprised her, not judging or evaluating her actions. He insisted that he merely wanted to understand the experience, and how she controlled herself during such a passionate interaction. Everything in life was a giant mystery from Garrett's perspective, and all mysteries were meant to be unraveled.

While Kate may have represented a challenge to Garrett, he became something of a curiosity for her. It quickly became clear through their interactions that his cavalier attitude masked something deeper, something more substantial. Garrett had an unwavering certainty of right and wrong, as made clear by his passionate analysis of history and the situation they currently faced. Kate found that to Garrett, his view of the world made life very black and white, and fueled his confidence. It had nothing to do with arrogance and everything to do with conviction. Kate couldn't help but wonder if, like Siobhan and her ability to influence outcomes, this was Garrett's talent; the unerring ability to discern right from wrong. Tanya refused to believe that character traits, such as Rosalie's tenacity, could be counted as a talent, yet Kate was more open minded. In her perspective, everyone had one special trait that was distinctly theirs. While it might not be as powerful as Benjamin's ability to control the elements or little Maggie's ability to identify a lie, those traits were important none the less.

It was Garrett's insistence that Bella would be integral to the battle that gave Kate the courage to pursue and taunt her during their training sessions. If she were pushing too hard, or going too far, Kate was confident that Garrett would rein her in before she hurt Bella. He also subtly encouraged her to alter her approach to maximize the training process. His presence and silence was an affirmation of her goal, and in the end, it was clear that everyone was pleased when Bella managed to block both Kate and Zafrina's offensive feints.

"They say you can put a vampire flat on his back," Garrett teased her as she stepped away from Bella, happy with the day's progress. Kate was tired from the exertion, and she was not in the mood for sparring. Against her better judgment, she held her hand out, palm up, wiggling her fingers innocently.

"Yes. Curious?"

He shrugged, which irritated her for some strange reason. Maybe it was the air of self possession, or even worse, his confidence and strength. Kate found herself wanting to knock him flat on his back. Hard.

"That's something I've never seen. Seems like it might be a bit of an exaggeration…" He smiled as he stepped closer, his hand slowly rising.

"Maybe it only works on the weak or the young. I'm not sure. You look strong enough, though. Perhaps you could withstand my gift." She held her hand steady, waiting for him to make a move. Garrett's eyes darted from her face to her hand, and then back, the corners of his mouth turning up in amusement.

She watched, fascinated, as he extended a single long, slender finger toward the center of her palm. She expected the physical contact, but not for the sensation that accompanied his touch. In the time they'd spent together, Garrett had never touched her. She'd been prepared to generate an electrical current, not receive one, and her immediate reaction was an instinctual act self preservation.

Garrett's eyes widened as the bolt shot through him, his expression morphing from amusement to surprise, then to shock. She watched, horrified as he wavered, his knees buckling. He collapsed, falling backward, his head hitting the rock with a resounding crack. Had Garrett been human, he would have been dead from the impact, and yet he sat up, a befuddled smile on his face.

"Wow," he whispered reverently. The others were watching, all laughing with the assumption that Kate and Garrett were sparring playful. They missed the subtext that flowed in between.

"Did you enjoy that?" Kate tried to keep her words light; fighting the nervous tremor she could feel building.

"I'm not crazy, but that sure was something." His eyes never left her face, the good humor long gone.

The only thing she could think of was a glib answer, so Kate called out 'that's what I hear' as she turned and fled the clearing.

"Kate, wait!" He called after her. But she didn't stop, and the distraction of new arrivals was more than enough to prevent his pursuit. It also provided Kate with a valuable reminder. They were preparing for war; there was no time for things such as attractions and dalliances.

She'd been a vampire for ages. She couldn't understand why, after all that time alone; she'd finally meet a man who could hold her interest and be an equal. After millennium alone, and now on the potential eve of their destruction, she'd been presented with the opportunity to find something new.

Something she'd always found herself afraid to believe in.

**#**

Garrett found her sitting in the music room, aimlessly picking at the keys of the piano on Christmas Day. The sun had set hours ago, and the members of their motley band had all split off to celebrate the holiday in their individual ways. The house was quiet, and Kate had assumed she was alone.

"Why are you sitting by yourself?" He enquired as he sat down on the bench next her.

"I didn't really notice. I guess I am just used to it."

"Is that why you are avoiding me?" His hand rested lightly on the piano, his index finger caressing an ebony key. "You've dodged me for days, Kate. Did I do something to anger or annoy you?"

His observation was correct; she had been avoiding him, although it wasn't due to any offense on his part. After running away from him that day in the clearing, Kate had forced herself to relive the moment, trying to asses it with a critical eye. Every time it was the same, that visceral connection the minute his skin came in contact with hers. She'd found him intriguing and attractive as they'd sparred, talked, and debated, but she'd never felt out of control. That disappeared the moment he touched her. Kate had been with her share of men, all of them human, and had never felt the rush of attraction like she had with Garrett. The simplicity of his touch, his skin to skin against hers, was enough to throw her entirely off balance. She'd not been able to purge him from her mind, and in a move of self preservation, had put as much distance between them as possible. Irina had allowed her world to be spun on its axis by a man, launching this path of destruction they were all on now; Kate refused to lose herself in the same way.

"Katie, look at me," Garrett pleaded. The quiet solemnity of his request surprised her. Garrett was boisterous and loud, so very similar to Emmett, and the raw emotion scared her. Instead of looking up, she lowered her head, her hair falling around her face like a blonde curtain to obscure him from view.

"Katie," he whispered sadly. She started as he brushed the hair back away from her face. "Please stop running away from me."

The pads of his finger just barely glanced over her cheekbone, but it generated that same palpable hum of electricity. Her eyes closed instinctively, and she found herself holding her breath, afraid her accelerated breathing might betray the effect he had on her.

"You aren't going to hurt me, if that's what you are afraid of."

She laughed wryly, still refusing to meet his gaze. He thought he understood why she held back, and yet he had no clue.

"No, Garrett, but what will you do to me? Can you say the same?"

"I don't understand." The pressure of his fingers on her face was stronger now, and she found herself torn between wanting to lean into his hand and the desire to shock him right off the bench. Bring him close or push him away; have faith in what could be or reject in fear of what was most likely to come.

"Everything is a challenge to you, Garrett; an adventure. Why should I believe that this is any different, that I am any different? For all I know, you could see me as a challenge. Conquer the succubus, live through what other men haven't, all for what, bragging rights? A personal accomplishment? Where would that leave me? I am not a puzzle to be solved and laid to the side, you know."

She found herself off balance as the piano bench shot back across the room, but she didn't tumble backwards, for Garrett's arms wrapped tightly around her, preventing her from falling. At least in the literal sense.

"Do you really think so little of me? That I would have my way and discard you for someone else?" For the first time that she could recall, Kate found herself confronted by an angry Garrett. His nostrils flared slightly, and his brow furrowed in consternation and disbelief. "I know damn well you felt it when I touched you. That was more than an offensive maneuver. Neither of us have control over what this is; why do you insist on fighting it?"

She tried to look or move away, but he held her in place, his grip too tight. She wanted to shock herself free, and yet she couldn't bring herself to hurt him. That's when she realized it was out of her control. Hurting him would hurt her.

"Katie, look at me." His request was softer, but still authoritative. She expected him to try and force her to look up, and was surprised to feel his forehead come to rest against hers. That same palpable hum began to build, growing stronger as the time passed. Kate squeezed her eyes shut as she slipped her arms around Garrett's waist; her apprehension suppressed for the moment by the need to give in, to believe.

"I could never put you aside,' he whispered, his breath tickling her cheek. "Even if I do someday solve the mystery that is you, it would never be enough to make me turn away."

Kate swallowed, forcing down the knot forming in her throat. She knew that nothing in life was guaranteed. Next week they might not exist. If that was the case, what was the point in her fighting it now? She wanted to enjoy their last moments; to live like there was no tomorrow, for in reality, there might not be.

He brushed a gentle kiss across the apple of her left cheek, just the faintest whisper of a touch. It was so different than the approaches of other men, who'd always engaged with the need to assert and claim. Garrett's kiss was a request, a plea for Kate to trust in him, to have faith in what could be.

She let out a small sigh, an involuntary reaction to the moment, which drew a smile from Garrett. He angled his head slightly, so that his cheek could rest against her forehead as he slowly rocked her back and forth, humming. His hand cupped the back of her neck as his thumb worked slow circles against her skin. The tune wasn't anything she'd ever heard, but Kate didn't really care to know what it was; just the fact that it was for her and her alone was more than enough.

**#**

"Come with me." Garrett held his hand out to Kate, a simple request that she didn't question. The light was slowly fading in the west, and with it, their final day before the Volturi arrived.

He led her out, away from the great clearing where everyone had set up in anticipation of the guard's arrival. They ascended up through the trees, scaling the face of the mountain to where the snow was hard packed and pristine. The cold white crystals on the trees glistened like something out of a children's picture book.

"Where are you taking me?" Kate enquired, watching as he scaled the rock face to a small ledge. A backpack was draped over his left shoulder, loaded with unknown items.

"Just come with me, you don't need to know the answers to everything." he chastised her, moving out of sight.

Once she scaled the expanse, she found herself standing at the edge of a wide cliff, roughly twenty feet across. It afforded a sweeping panorama of the valley below, as well as an unobstructed view of the night sky.

"The clouds will be moving in soon, but it was too beautiful to stay away." Garrett pulled a blanket out of the backpack, spreading it out on the rocky ledge. "If this is going to be our last night, I didn't want to share you with anyone."

They'd all avoided stating the obvious. No one knew what tomorrow would bring. They hoped that the band of witness amassed would be enough to give the Volturi pause, buying Edward and Bella time to state their case. If not, they were prepared to fight, to protect the way of life they all held so dear.

At first, it had been simple, banding together to protect an innocent child. But over time, Kate had realized that it was something more than that. Renesmee Cullen was a flag, a cause to rally around. Garrett had insisted that, in her own way, Renesmee was no different than the Boston Tea Party or the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She was a cause for which they had come together to fight for the larger issue. It was about protecting her, but it was also about their rights and autonomy; the refusal to bow to an overzealous power.

Kate sat down on the blanket, her head tipped back to take in the clear night sky, the stars winking like twinkle lights on a Christmas tree. She found it hard to believe that in a world full of beauty there could be such violence, such malevolence. If they survived tomorrow, she wondered if that beauty would be forever tainted or simply more wondrous.

"What are you thinking about?" Garrett sat down behind her, his legs stretching out on either side of her as he leaned against her back. They'd slowly become more comfortable with each other, learning to find comfort in small touches and stolen kisses. Kate let her body rest against his, savoring the warmth.

"Wondering about what happens after tomorrow. How the world will change."

He ran his hands slowly through her hair, pulling it together in a low ponytail before draping it across her shoulder.

"All I know is I don't want to think of a world without you in it," he murmured. "I don't want to talk about tomorrow, or worry about what comes after. Stay here with me tonight, Katie. Be with me, love me. I don't need anything else, I just need you."

Any interludes they'd managed to steal had been brief. Fleeting kisses, stolen touches, nothing more than the subtlest hint of what could be. Kate found herself overwhelmed as Garrett pressed his lips to her neck, his arms pulling her in closer.

"I've never had somewhere I belonged," his lips were against her ear now, his voice raspy and low. "Not until I met you."

Twisting in his arms, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with a ferocity she'd never felt before. She didn't want this to be all there was; she had to have faith that there would be something more after tomorrow, and if not, that there would be no regrets from the time they did have.

They both abandoned words, letting their bodies communicate what both were too afraid to say. And when the snow did finally start to fall, they stayed wrapped up in Garrett's blanket as Kate silently willed the hours to slow and minutes to stop so that she could hold on to what she'd found for just a little bit longer.

**#**

They'd been prepared for so many things: an attack, machinations, even subterfuge. Not the blatant destruction that had manifested itself front of them.

Kate watched in horror as the flames erupted from Caius's hand, engulfing Irina. She was helpless to stop the massacre as it claimed her sister, reducing Irina to a mass of charred ashes.

Without thinking, Kate launched herself at Caius. Someone tried to stop her, but she would not be stopped, shocking the body that stood in her way. Another arm, large and muscled grabbed at her, throwing her to the ground. She immediately rolled to her feet, ready to tear out the throat of the man that had destroyed her mother and her sister.

And then a force like a boulder hit her, forcing her backward, a vice grip locking around her middle as they both fell to the ground. Arms she would know anywhere. He was trying to stop her when she didn't want to be stopped. Kicking and gnashing her teeth, Kate focused all her energy on fighting her way free. She would take down Caius. She would make him pay for what he'd taken from her. Not just Irina, but Sasha too.

Before she could fight free, everything went black. She could hear; she could smell and taste and feel, but she couldn't see. It rendered her ability to launch a physical attack impotent. She thrashed against Garrett in frustration and agony, unable to shut out the images in her mind. Irina, then Sasha shrouded in flame, both gone.

"If you let you up, will you knock me down again, Katie?" Garrett whispered in her ear, but she refused to give in, still fighting to break free.

Carlisle's words of caution broke through her rage induced frenzy, insisting that she and Tanya stop and think through their actions, the destruction that they would bring down if they proceeded.

"Katie, stop, please. Think about what comes next, not what has already gone by," Garrett whispered in her ear. His words were for her and her alone. He understood. More importantly, he was right. She collapsed weakly against him, the realization of what her actions could have brought down sinking in.

In her fury, her desire to destroy Caius, she could have destroyed them all, including Tanya and Garrett. It was all she needed to regain control. She felt Garrett's arms loosen around her, and one hand move up to cup the back of her neck; rubbing slow even circles. It was a reminder to focus on tomorrow, on the future. Garrett was right. She couldn't change the past, but she could protect the future.

They lay in the snow for a moment longer, oblivious to the activities that continued on around them. When Kate felt like she was in complete control, she nodded subtly and Garrett released her. She slowly climbed to her feet, keeping her gaze straight ahead. She wouldn't allow herself to focus on the carnage that had unfolded around her, unsure of her ability to maintain her tentative grasp on control.

Aro moved slowly across the front line, interrogating the witnesses who'd sworn to share their first hand experience of Renesmee Cullen's growth and human qualities. Kate listened with disgust as Aro attempted to manipulate the responses as he tried to build his case for the destruction of the child.

Kate felt Garrett let go of her hand and step forward during the interrogation of Siobhan, she reached out to restrain him. He'd saved her, and she refused to let him put himself in harm's way. She couldn't lose him. She'd just found him.

"May I offer a side to be considered?" Garrett called out as he took another step forward. Kate's heart lurched as Aro acknowledged him, terrified that he was so close, leaving Garrett so exposed.

She listened, torn between her inability to protect him and the desire to stand back and applaud at the brilliance of his words. His view of black and white and the conviction of his beliefs as he clearly articulated his learnings rang loudly across the clearing. He proudly stated his support of their ways, of their peaceful nature, of their intent to live a better life; all while calling into question the Volturi's objective

and intent. He clearly aligned himself with them and with her. It was like he'd said on the cliff last night; he'd been alone for so long, but now he didn't want to be.

Kate watched, waiting as he stepped back to stand next to her, eyes bright. She understood now what he'd meant when he'd spoken so passionately about fighting for the right of self-determination. She'd considered herself a glacier for so long, moving slowly on a path that felt preordained; in reality, it wasn't just her. Every vampire in that clearing was, in fact, a glacier of some sort. The activities of the day and the confrontation in the meadow had knocked them all off course, just like Garrett had to Kate. The rules were changing around them, and Kate realized that even if they did survive the day, the hierarchy of their world would never be the same.

The three Volturi brothers stepped together, hands together, holding counsel. As a decision loomed, Kate felt the world slowly tilting on its axis.

Garrett's hand was warm on her neck, drawing those same slow circles. It was a gesture that was hers and hers alone, the action conveying more than any words ever could. He loved her.

"If we live through this, I'll follow you anywhere woman," he teased. The words were deceptively light touch against the gravity of the situation.

"Now he tells me," she shot back in the same tone. To others it would seem like a light hearted exchange. But they knew the truth.

**#**

Tanya and Kate sat in the clearing long after the others had departed. They had piled a small mound of stones over the heap of ashes; all that remained of their sister. It was a poor imitation of a marker, but Kate couldn't stomach not commemorating the place where Irina's life had been taken.

As she placed the last stone, Kate hoped that her sister's decisions had laid the foundation for a better, more equitable way of life for all of them. She thought about Garrett's words when he'd restrained her. _Think about what comes next, not what_ _has already gone by_. She realized that he'd been right in more ways than one. Shehad a future, someone to share it with. The likelihood that she would have found that without the associated actions and loss of Irina was unlikely, and it made Kate sad to realize that her gain came because of else's loss.

She stood, staring down at the stones long after Tanya left the meadow. Irina's actions had always felt so foreign to her; how she could have chosen to turn her back on her family for the love of a man had always been a mystery. But now Kate felt she could understand. While that the mindless devotion of Edward and Bella Cullen was irrational and naive, she felt as though she had a different perspective on what it meant to love, and why they had fought for it so valiantly. Irina's actions, Sasha's actions, they made sense now. It didn't lessen the pain, but there was clarity. Kate could finally understand the concept of sacrifice in love. She'd thought that she knew, but that knowledge had been shallow. It took the tsunami that came with Garrett to make her understand.

Touching the top rock lightly as a final goodbye, she turned to cross the clearing. Garrett stood at the edge of the woods. He held his arms open, and she gladly ran into them. For a long moment, they clung to each other, unwilling to move.

"Did you mean what you said about following me anywhere?" she asked quietly. He chuckled and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you, Katie."

She pulled back, and stared up at him, her smile bright. "Let's see if you say that after you've experienced my driving. If you're following, I need the keys."

Her hand shot out, palm up, fingers wiggling. He laughed and retrieved a small key ring from his pocket. Hooking it on the end of his finger, he extended his hand towards her. It was a duplication of their first contact in the clearing, the day she'd shocked him. They day they'd both been forced onto a different path.

His index finger made contact with her palm, and the key landed squarely in the center of her hand. There was no shock this time, just the comfortable, happy hum that had come to exist between them.

"I love you," she stated simply.

"Lead on, woman."

They clasped hands and walked slowly into the woods. Towards tomorrow.


End file.
